TWO WHOLE MINUTES. I was ecstatic. I couldn't believe I did it. I was on Week 3 of the Couch to 5K running plan, and I had just run for two minutes straight. It was a wonderful, proud moment. I smiled so big and felt like a badass. I looked around at the gym, and no one noticed. I didn't care. I was here, I was off that dang couch, and I was excited. Those 30 pounds were going to come off; I was going to make sure of it. Running changed my life. I didn't know it would, but when you're … [Read more...]
From Small Steps To Big Change (And How To Keep It Going)
Some days you lose all faith. You want to quit, toss over a desk or two, walk away, and never look back. You begin to question if all the effort was ever worth it, if it made any real difference. Maybe you drank the 'small steps, big change' cool aid and fooled yourself into believing - at least, in the moment - that your hard work will give you the results that you're looking for, bring you happiness or recognition or meaning or money. Then things got hard. Really, really … [Read more...]
Looking Fear In The Face
"TRY NOT TO look like you're going to kill me." That is what Henrik, my photographer, said to get me to loosen up. He was gracious enough to take some head shots for my book cover, and here I was, looking like I'm out to get him. I mean, it's one thing to take eight selfies and pick the best one and a whole another when a pro--one who's worked with the likes of Annie Leibovitz, Penelope Cruz, Harrison Ford--has set up lights and cameras and is waiting for you to … [Read more...]